M3GAN Review: The Killer Doll Meme Queen is Here for Chucky’s Throne

Over three decades since Chucky first hit the screen with 1988’s Child’s Play, the killer doll genre gets a next-gen upgrade with M3GAN. Directed by Gerard Johnstone (Housebound) from a script by Malignant writer Akela Cooper, M3GAN is a knowing horror-comedy romp that embraces the inherent ridiculous of its premise to the fullest extent.

Gemma (Allison Williams, Get Out) is a roboticist at a toy company stifling under the unimaginative leadership of her boss David (Ronny Chieng, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings). While the company sees fit to pump out basic robotic stuffed animals (featuring the ability to poop when you overfeed them), Gemma has her sights set on an interactive product that will revolutionize the toy industry.

When Gemma takes in her recently orphaned 8-year-old niece Cady (Violet McGraw, The Haunting of Hill House), Gemma introduces the shattered young girl to her pet project: M3GAN. A lifelike, child-sized AI robot, M3GAN (who curiously looks like a lost Olsen twin) has the ability to interact with Gemma like a true friend. She can console her when she’s down, play games, and even make sure she brushes her teeth and uses a coaster.

Spurred by Cady’s immediate connection with M3GAN, Gemma organizes a demonstration for David who immediately orders M3GAN into production. While Gemma finally has the go-ahead for her dream project, she begins to suspect that the intense bond between Cady and M3GAN may be unhealthy. As she tries to assert some boundaries surrounding M3GAN-time, M3GAN has ideas of her own, as her overly protective bond with Cady begins to turn deadly.

M3GAN strikes a tricky balance between horror, comedy, and family drama, and mostly succeeds on all fronts. The film is legitimately funny, especially as M3GAN begins to grow more confident and lash out toward anyone that stands in Cady’s way, including her creator Gemma.

While many of the most memorable scenes are in the trailer and have already reached celebrated meme status (the dancing M3GAN scene was instantly iconic as soon as the trailer dropped months ago), there’s still a lot of fun to be had as this pint-sized terror embarks on her killing spree.

Allison Williams delivers a strong lead performance as a single woman in a difficult field suddenly forced to take care of a young child. She imbues Gemma with just the right amount of frustration and ambition that helps ground the character even as her world is turned upside down by her own Frankenstein creation. (Surprisingly, M3GAN isn’t even the wildest horror movie Williams has starred in; fire up The Perfection on Netflix for a truly bonkers watch.)

Akela Cooper’s script is sharp and knowing; the film takes some shots at the notion of homeschooling (Cady had previously been home-schooled) and the over-reliance many parents have on digital tools to distract and help shape their child’s development.

That said, Cooper and director Gerard Johnstone know when to turn up the insanity. From M3GAN’s snide comments to the bloody deaths she unleashes on anyone she perceives to be a threat, the filmmakers know what audiences expect in a film like this and deliver the goods without sacrificing the drama at the heart of this delirious ride.

M3GAN is destined to become a camp classic; there’s something inherently hilarious and immensely rewatchable about a Karen-looking blonde demon doll violently dishing it out (both verbally and physically). Chucky better watch his back; M3GAN is here to take the crown.

M3GAN is in theatres now.